


Double Holidays

by ricochet



Category: Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-09-18
Updated: 2005-09-18
Packaged: 2017-10-05 20:56:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ricochet/pseuds/ricochet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Echizen turns 13.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Double Holidays

##### ~Two Years Makes A Difference

Ryouma's thirteenth birthday would have passed unnoticed by his schoolmates if his mother had not decided to throw him a party.

The party would have stayed just a suggestion if Ryouma had protested loudly and long enough.

Ryouma was beginning to do exactly that when Nanako mentioned how nice it would be for him to spend time with his senpai who had retired from the club after winning the nationals. His mother agreed enthusiastically and commented on how little he was likely to see his senpai after they graduated in February.

The lump in his throat stopped any further objection.

 

.  


##### ~~To Avoid Double Booking

The one condition Ryouma laid down for the party was the exclusion of his father. This meant it had to be held somewhere other than the house. Ryouma's mother, for reasons he did not pretend to understand, declared McDonald's unsuitable. Kawamura Sushi was nominated instead, on the merit of it being the only other restaurant Ryouma could remember by name. His mother made the reservation right away, which struck him as odd since it was only the third week of November. Then again, he supposed booking things on Christmas Eve was no easier here than it was in the States.

 

.  


##### ~~~Trouble Comes in Pairs

Kawamura-senpai found Ryouma eating lunch with Momo-senpai. Fuji-senpai was with him.

"Echizen, my father said it's no trouble to move your reservation up thirty minutes."

Ryouma nodded. "5:30 then."

"Reservation?" asked Momo-senpai.

Fuji-senpai pretended surprise. "Haven't you invited Momo, Echizen?"

Ryouma did not pull down his hat (which he wasn't wearing), turtle into his collar (which was too short) or kill Fuji-senpai (who owed him a game). "I haven't invited anyone yet."

Momo-senpai received his invitation and squawked, "That's not enough time to find a date. Not at all."

Ryouma delivered the remaining invitations to the appropriate shoe lockers.

 

.  


##### ~~~~Double Holidays

Christmas Eve was clear and cold. Ryouma was pleased to see the weather, at least, would not stop him if he decided to bolt early and walk home. The party itself was loud with people and food and carefully ignored exam stress. When Inui-senpai began manufacturing the truth about birthday spankings, Ryouma slipped outside to breathe in the quiet. Inside, the volume swelled as his senpai continued to act like idiots. It was the best time he'd had since nationals. Thirty full seconds passed before Ryouma realised Tezuka-senpai had been standing next to the door when he came outside.

Ryouma looked at his captain for a long moment and then away. "Thanks for coming."

"Thank you for inviting me. Congratulations on your birthday, Echizen."

Clouds had slipped over the sky like a blanket, making the world quiet. "I can still play you after you graduate, right Captain?"

Street lights looked the same on Tezuka's frown as the lights at school. "Of course. You shouldn't call me 'Captain' anymore."

Ryouma shrugged. "Doesn't suit anyone else."

The quiet lasted until Tezuka's hand brushed Ryouma's hair. Ryouma shivered.

"It's snowing," Tezuka said, and smiled at him over the ice melting on his fingers.

 

.  


##### ~~~~~Second From The Top

On the last day, Fuji came to school with his second jacket button clipped neatly away and refused to say where it was. Rumor quickly spread that all six third year regulars had buried their buttons together somewhere on the tennis courts. Eiji only laughed and said it was all Oishi's idea. No one else said anything at all.

"It's disappointing," said Momo-senpai. "I wanted to ask Oishi-senpai for his. I'll need the luck this year. Bet you were disappointed, too."

Ryouma adjusted the green sweatband on his wrist and shrugged. "The good jackets don't have buttons on them anyway."


End file.
